Bono de Sangre
by BELLATRIX BLACK TOJOURS PUR
Summary: Harry meets Hermione before Ron and takes a liking to her. I suck at summaries but just try it, if you will.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: A story about 'what could've been' if Harry had met Hermione first. Characters are slightly OOC. **

**Constructive criticism is welcomed with opened arms; flamers will be burned to the point of death while I laugh hysterically and remorselessly.**

_I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.__  
><em>**_~Lily Tomlin _**

**Chapter One: Prologue**

Harry Potter was sitting in his newly acquired room, pondering the previous day's events. It was his birthday and he had learned he was a wizard. Not just any wizard, a famous wizard. He'd shopped for school supplies and got his first ever birthday present in a strange place called Diagon Alley and bought his first ever wand.

Miraculously, his relatives were so distraught when he got back that they'd forgotten to lock up his new things. For the next month he read his textbooks and practiced spells in the privacy of his new room, rarely leaving his newfound sanctuary. He retained the information like a sponge does to water and was ecstatic he found something he could exceed Dudley in and not get beaten for.

Harry couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts; he hoped he'd meet a friend. You see, Harry had never had a friend. To his knowledge, he'd never been hugged, never been told 'I love you', never been defended, never had a present, and never had a party.

That would all change very soon, he hoped.


	2. Chapter 2

**Bono de Sangre **

**Sorry for the wait!**

**Check out ****witowsmp's profile and read their stories, they're some of the very best in my opinion. **READ THIS STORY: Must Be Approved By Crookshanks by: Plumgirl

_A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away.__  
><em>_**~Bill Keane**_

**Chapter Two: Hogwarts and Hermione**

The Dursleys drove Harry to Kings Cross train station and left him there alone, only too happy to get rid of the 'freak'. They'd begun to see the perks in having Harry gone for nine months out of the year; even if it was to learn the 'm' word.

Harry sat alone in his compartment and began to write a poem in the tattered notebook he'd kept since first grade that served as a vent for his feelings. He thought of how his mother would be here to send him off if she hadn't died and began to compose his feelings into words.

_Gone_

_I sometimes remember her laugh_

_My mother's smile; so lovely_

_I remember her loving touch_

_My mother's gentle nature_

_I remember her willingness_

_My mother's inability to say 'no'_

_I sometimes remember my mother_

_But then I remember she's gone._

_~HJP _**(A/N: That was actually written by me as are any others you see, JSYK)**

"What're you writing?" A voice asked from the doorway. Harry blinked away the tears and looked up, trying to compose his expression. He saw a bushy haired girl with cinnamon eyes in the entrance, staring at him curiously. He studied her warily for a moment.

"A poem," He finally responded. Her eyes lit up.

"Can I… May I read it?" She asked, her voice hesitant but with an underlying note of eagerness. Harry was a bit startled and almost refused. But she looked so eager and nice… Harry had never had a second opinion before, it might be okay…

"Sure," he held out the tattered notebook for her. She sat excitedly down next to him and read it quickly, flipping to a few other random ones when Harry silently pointed them out. She looked up finally and Harry saw the gleam of tears in her eyes.

"Wow," Harry bit his lip and blushed at her awed tone. "This is… Brilliant! Spectacular, if I say so myself; and I do. "You really know how to put feeling into the things you write."

"I'm Harry Potter, by the way," Harry said shyly.

"Blimey, are you really? Well, no matter, I'm Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you." The duo shook hands and smiled at each other. "So, tell me more about yourself,"

"Like what?"

"Anything,"

"… Like what?"

_Sigh._"How about we play a game; I'll tell you something I like or have done, and you will do the same. We'll take turns." Hermione suggested. Harry smiled.

"Okay,"

"My favorite color is green,"

"Mine is brown,"

"Brown?" Hermione asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah," Harry said, a bit defensive. "I like brown. It is the color of so many good things: dirt, bark, chocolate, wood, you know," He shrugged slightly.

"Okay. Makes sense," Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "My parents are dentists and Muggles, I also have an older half-brother named Paul Meraz,"

"My mum was a muggleborn and my dad was a pureblood. I live with my Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Cousin Dudley."

"_Dudley?_" Hermione wrinkled her nose. "What an awful name,"

"Well, it fits. He's always bullying me and looks like a pig in a wig." Harry explained at her look. She nodded silently.

"My favorite thing to do is read," Hermione said after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Mine too!" Harry exclaimed.

"Really?" Hermione asked, surprised and delighted.

"Absolutely. But I was never allowed to get good grades." Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion.

"You weren't _allowed_?" She asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"If I got better grades than Dudley," Suddenly looking scared, Harry cut off his sentence.

"What?" Hermione urged. "What happened?"

"iwas..m.m.m." Harry mumbled.

"What?"

"Whipped," Harry breathed. Hermione gasped, tears filling her eyes as Harry winced.

"They abused you?" She asked, horrified.

"More than you can possibly imagine." Harry muttered, closing his eyes as a tear trailed down his cheek. In an instant, Hermione had wrapped him in her arms.

"Shhhh," She soothed as he sobbed into her shoulder. "I promise, as long as I am alive, you will never return to that place ever again." She said determinedly. Harry nodded as he hiccupped, allowing the smallest seed of hope to sprout with himself.


End file.
